The Faculty Student Association (FSA) has launched a new vending program that offers high-quality and seasonal ingredients from local partners wherever possible, sold in sustainable mason jars.
Stony Brook University is the first school on Long Island to offer Farmer’s Fridge, a vending machine concept offering healthy meals and snacks including salads, sandwiches, bowls, and trail mix. Salads are served in screw-top, reusable plastic jars to make mixing with dressing easy. Customers can keep the containers or return them to a Farmer’s Fridge location to be recycled.
An innovative component of this concept is that the company’s strategy for delivering food to customers while maintaining freshness. Technology plays a role with an algorithm that examines every vending machine and gathers data on what is being sold. This process determines which products, and how many, get shuttled to each location to best cater to customers’ preferences. After the computers work their magic, the company’s drivers deliver products all night long, from 10 pm to 8 am, so the food is ready for purchase in the morning.
“A new fresh food vending option will be very useful to students on the move. Good food made to order usually includes waiting on a line. With Farmer’s Fridge, you can skip a line and get tasty fresh food in a hurry,” said Justas Klimavicious, FSA Business Development Analyst.
Farmer’s Fridge is available at the following locations on campus:
- Tabler Market
- Javits Lecture Center, main atrium
- Physics Building, south lobby
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) Building
“FSA’s mission is to make your day better, and offering the convenience of healthy eating on the go with customer satisfaction as our top priority makes Farmer’s Fridge a great addition to the campus,” explained Amanda Alicea, FSA Business Development Manager.
MENU SELECTION AND NUTRITION
Farmer’s Fridge offers a fresh, revolving menu of balanced meals and snacks ensuring plenty of variety. From hand-chopped lettuce to dressing made from scratch, the meals are handcrafted and delivered fresh to the fridges. Prices range from $4 to $9, and the items vary by location depending on customer preferences.
Proteins such as chicken, tofu and cheese can be purchased separately to add to salads and bowls. Customers with dietary restrictions and food allergies are able to view the nutrition information and food allergy labels included on the products.
LOW ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The fridges are stocked based on real-time demand, minimizing food waste and connecting customers with the meals they crave. The jars are BPA free and 100% recyclable with a depository slot right on the machine.
INNOVATION
User-friendly touchscreen technology allows customers to explore the menu with ease, pay with a swipe of their credit card and then enjoy their meal on the go.
GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY
Unpurchased meals are regularly donated to local food pantries, providing responsibly sourced nutrition to community members in need.
Sign up online to get enjoy half off on salads, sandwiches, bowls, snacks and more.
I wish we had this in the Admin Building.
So happy that healthy meal options are being offered inside the Physics Building! Now my only real reason to leave is to replenish my ever-dwindling alcohol stash. I love being a graduate student!
They need this in every hospital (especially for late night hours and overnights) . Sounds like a great idea.